I Live With My Villain Uncle

is the one shorter than a horse’s leg? Did you go crazy because you wanted to die?

 

Kassel held his heart together with a barely exhaled sigh.

 

This is why it’s not fine.

 

It was clear that staying like this any longer would only cause trouble.

 

Is there anything more than two goddamn bastards in the family?

 

‘Of course that shouldn’t happen!’

 

That’s why he will never give her any affection.

 

Kassel intended to get Aika out of his sight as soon as possible.

 

If I do this a few more times, she’ll get tired of me and whine, wanting to go back.

 

Kassel, who quickly went to Aika’s room, put the child on the bed as if he was tossing it.

 

“Ah!”

 

Dropped onto the bed like a doll, Aika quickly straightened herself up and held onto the hem of Kassel’s clothes.

 

“…It’s spinning.”

 

When he threw her on the first day, she was startled and struggled, yet now she stood up like a roly poly.

 

If he goes out like this again, she’ll come after him anyway.

 

She was just like his older sister, down to her stubbornness.

 

No, he thought it was somehow worse.

 

Kassel gave up, grabbed Aika’s back again, moved it to the corner of the bed, and lay down on the wide seat.

 

“U-Uncle…?”

 

He didn’t respond to the questionable voice, covering his eyes with an arm.

 

“Uncle, are you sleeping?”, “Really sleeping?”, “Can I lie next to you too?”, “Can I sleep next Uncle?” Murmurs were heard incessantly, yet Kassel pretended not to listen and closed his eyes.

 

***

 

Uncle must be sleeping.

 

The bed was big enough for ten of me to lie on, yet it was full because Uncle was lying diagonally.

 

Is he really sleeping?

 

I wanted to press him down, but I didn’t want to get scolded again, so I sat quietly nearby.

 

I sat with half my back against him and sighed deeply.

 

I know.

 

That I was wrong.

 

But the thought of saving Uncle came first.

 

I hope I don’t see more strange fantasies because I’m so tired today.

 

I wasn’t going to take a nap because I didn’t want to dream.

 

“Hnnng.”

 

However, there is a problem.

 

I had to protect Uncle so he wouldn’t go outside, but I was so bored to stay alone.

 

Even when Mom went to work, I was always alone.
Why am I so bored?

 

Grandpa said I could always be by his side when he was working…

 

He said that if I’m bored, I can wake him up at any time of the day or night…

 

Also, maybe because I was so surprised earlier, my eyes kept closing…

 

Should I just sleep?

 

If I sleep next to Uncle, wouldn’t he know when he wakes up?

 

I looked around and pondered for a long time before a thought struck me and I cautiously got down from the bed.

 

After that, I opened all the drawers in the room and succeeded in finding a suitable string.

 

I grabbed the string and climbed back into bed.

 

And I tried to connect my arm with Uncle with a string.

 

“…I-It’s difficult.”

 

But tying the knot with one hand was so hard!

 

Reluctantly, I tied him to my feet and, after confirming that I was tied up with him, curled up next to Uncle and lay down.

 

“I’m going to get some sleep now.”

 

It was an instant to fall asleep as soon as I lay down.

 

***

 

The next day didn’t change our relationship.

 

“…You don’t go out to play.”

 

“Yes! I like it here.”

 

It didn’t get a little more friendly, but it didn’t get terribly worse either.

 

“There are many better rooms.”

 

“I like the carpet here, Uncle.”

 

Even if I didn’t look up, I did it on purpose because I thought there would be a vein somewhere on Uncle’s forehead.

 

Anyway, he’s not working right now.

 

“What are you doing over there.
I hear you always played outside at the old man’s house.”

 

I sat right in the middle of Uncle’s office.

 

Holding the drawing paper in one hand and a crayon in the other hand, I drew a large tree and raised my face.

 

“How did you know?”

 

“You don’t have to know, Brat.”

 

“Tch.”

 

I lowered my head and started drawing the tree again.

 

Soft brown crayons were rolling thickly on the drawing paper.

 

I kept pressing and painting the wooden pillars so that there were no gaps, but I kept feeling the hot gaze.